Phnom Bakheng will be the beneficiary of a grant by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation to help with its conservation by the World Monuments Fund. Phnom Bakheng is one of the most heavily-visited sites in Angkor, on account of it being one of the favourite spots to catch the sunset from.
photo credit: RightIndex
World Monuments Fund announces two major grants for sites in Tanzania and Cambodia
Artdaily.org, 22 September 2011
(WMF) announced that it has received two major grants from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for projects at Phnom Bakheng in Cambodia and Kilwa Kisiwani in Tanzania.
Phnom Bakheng, built between the late-ninth and early tenth centuries as a state temple for a city later absorbed into Angkor, is one of the oldest temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park. The award of $450,000 will complete a conservation project begun in 2009 with a prior $1 million Ambassadors Fund grant. The temple is one of the most popular at Angkor, especially at sunset, for the view it affords of Angkor Wat. Heavy foot traffic from tourists has created serious conservation issues at the site, which are being addressed with the Ambassadors Fund support as well as an additional $150,000 committed by WMF through its Robert W. Wilson Challenge to Conserve Our Heritage. In addition to conserving the temple, WMF’s project, in collaboration with APSARA National Authority, is reviewing all needs at the site from management of rainwater runoff to improving the visitor experience.
Full story here.
